Plant lifter for cotton harvesters



Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. JOHNSTON PLANT LIFTER FOR COTTON HARVESTERS Filed April 22, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 12,1933. E, A, JOHNSTO l 1,926,338

rum- LIFTER FOR cow'ron'umvnswsns F1166. April z, 1932 3 sheetswsheet 2 E. A. JOHNSTON 2 1,926,338 PLANT LIFTER FOR co'n'oy mmvss'raxs' se t. 12, 1933.-

Filed April 22. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 12, I933 ums srrssrA- ENT orrics 1,926,388 I f PLANT m'rm ron COTTON mnvss'rsns Edward A. Johnston, Chicago, 111., assignor to Intel-national Harvester Company, a, corporation of New Jersey Application April 22, 1932. Serial No. 606,175

6 Claims (01. 53-14) adjacent rows oi plants such, for example, as

slanting side hills.

Another object is to provide a pivoted plant lifting device which is mounted in such a manner that the delivery endof the guiding means formed on the device is at all times in close proxhnity to the operating units of a harvesting machine, "for example the spindles 01. a cotton picking drum.

Other more specific objects, such as the provision of stops to limit the pivotolmovements of the members forming the device, will beepporent from the detailed description to follow The objects of the invention are obtained by pivotslly connecting o. plant lifting or guiding member to a harvesting machine on both trans verse and longitudinal axes whereby the member may tip up and down and may tilt sidewsys to to accommodate all types of soil irregularities.

These objects have been obtained by certoin constructions as shown in the attached drawings.

,inwhich:

Figure 1 is s plan view showing an eruhcdiment 36 oi the invention as a plant guidins end iiiting device for a cotton picker. Univ such ports of the picker are shown as are necesscry to illustrate the functioning oi the device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the some con to? struction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is at front view of the construction shown in Figure 1, one of the liiting members being broken. sway in section to show the pivotal connections oi the member with the frame of the ct cotton picker.

Figure 4 is o side elevstion showing o modified form of the invention. 1

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the tin 5-5 of Figure i; and

Figure 6 is as sectional view taken on the time 6-6 of Figure d. v The portion of a cotton picker shown in Fig-= ure 1 is of a conventional construction such as shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,737,850, in which a frame structure supports a vertical picking having a plurality oiradially extendingpicking spindles, the drum and spindles being rotated by suitable mechanism. 'As shownin. Figure 1, the frame structure 10, which csrries 1 the picking drum, l'orms a support for a bracket so 11 which is rigidly secured to the i'rame structure 10. Opposite the picking drum a. pipe 12, which is part of the frame structure of the cotton picker, supports a, bracket 13 in a rigid position. Said bracket constitutes a portion oi the support for a pivoted shield 14 which extends in close proximity to the spindles oi the picking drum. Said shield is mounted to swing away from the drum for the passage of plants between the drum and the shield, as shown in the patent 7o above referred to. p

The bracket 13 is provided with two forwardlv directed spaced extensions 15 which form supports for a pivot pin 16, on which o'supporting stood that the members 17 and 2c ore suhstene tioiiy the some in structure and function, one

of them being left-mended with respect to the sc other. As the drawing has been broken swoy to show the member so, it will be described in dcteil with the understcndine thst the pivotei connec tions of the member 1? one vsuhstcntioil v the some.

The member so is formed widi two istcreliy protecting extensions 21 and it. The extension 22 is formed inwardly from the inner extension is and is spaced somewhat shove soid extension, cs shown in Figure 2. The extension fit is iorwerdiy from the extension 22. Etch oi the extensions 21 and 22 is formed with c core 2:. tending therethrouch, said cores in suh= stentioliy longitudinal alignment, thot is, schstcnticlly psroilei to the line of travel oi the hiss chine. The axis of the horse is nice substen tieliy horizontal, that is, suhstsntieliv with the ground level. I A pivot pin fit extends through the bores formed in the extensions 21 and 22 and through bearing bre'cirets 2d post 1% tioi'ied, respectively, forwardly oi the extension 21 and rcarwardly of the extension 22. The tree rm ets 24 are secured by rivets to a subctcnticily vertical plate 25.

The vertical portion of the piste 25 is shaped, 3W

as best shown in Figure 2, to form an upwardly Figure 2, a second horizontal portion 27 extendsv laterally outwardly from the bottom of the vertical portion. A pointed shoe 28 is connected to the forward end of the shield member having the plate portions, as described. Said shoe is formed with a centrally and rearwardly extending inner portion, to which a pair of rods 29 are attached. The shoe 28 and the portions of the plate makingup the divider are constructed by welding the various elements together. It is understood that the parts may be joined in any suitable manner. substantially the same as the shoe 23 and with the corresponding plates secured thereto, Iorms the divider at that side of the mmhine. Said divider is connected to the supporting member 17 in the same manner as above described; this connection not being described in detail as it would be essentially a duplication of the above description.

From the description already given, it will be understood that the supporting bracket 20 rocks about the pin 19 on a transverse axis with respect to the frame structure 10 of the machine. This allows the divider to tip up and down during movement of the machine. Also the shoe 28, together with its associated parts which form the divider, may rock about the pin 23 on a horizontal longitudinal axis with respect to the supporting member 20 and also with respect to the frame structure 10 of the machine It has ban round desirable to provide certain limits for these two pivotal movements. To limit the outward rocking movement of the top of the plate 25, and, of course, the entire divider of which this plate is a part, a stop is provided, formed by a bolt 30 threaded into anupwardly extending lug 31 formed on the supporting member 20. A nut is provided to hold the bolt securely in position. By adjusting the position of the bolt 30 an adjustable stop is provided, the plate 25 abutting against the head of the bolt 30 after an angular movement determined by the position of said bolt.

An upwardly extending lug 32 is formed at the rear end of the extension 22. As best shown in Figure 2, this extension is formed so as to not intereiere with the movement oi the rear bearing bracket 2s. a forward abutting face is formed on the lug 32, positioned to engage a pin 33, extending laterally from a lug 34, formed on the supporting bracket 11. Engagement of the lug 32 with the pin 33 limits the downward movement oi the forward end of the divider. This is a very desirable feature as otherwise the forward end oihthe divider would drop into a deep hole in the soil or into a gully and would not liit when the depression had been passed.

In order to hold the divider'ln a substantially horizontal position against the bolt formed by the stop 30 a spring 35 wound around the pin 33, is provided with downward extensions abut ting against the plate 25 below the axis or the pin 23 and an upper portion above the axis oi the pin 23 which is adiustably secured to the supporting member 26 by a threaded attaching member 38. By adjustrnent-- of the nuts on the member. 36 the tension of the spring may be varied.

From the above detailed description the opera- The other shoe 28' is formed tion 01' the device will be apparent. The shoe 28, during forward travel of the machine, rides along the surface of the ground. It will be noted that said shoe is provided with a forward engaging point and a ground engaging runner surface rearwardly of said point. The point, therefore, tends to penetrate the soil with the runner portion serving as a gauge. Upon encountering transverse depressions or irregularities 'in the ground level the divider may tip up and down about the pin 19 as an axis. As previously mentioned, the downward dip is limited by the lug 32 which serves as a stop when it abuts the pin 33. This prevents the shoe 28 from digging into the soil alter a deep depression has been passed. There is also another kind of irregularity, that is, a sloping laterally, particularly the side hill slope along row crop plants. When the shoe 28 encounters such irregularities the entire divider tilts about the pin 23 as an axis. This movement is limited by the bolt 30 which serves as a stop. The spring 35 tends to hold the divider in normal horizontal position with the inner side closely adjacent the ground level.

The rods 29 are arranged closely adjacent the picking spindles of the cotton picker drum. This construction is provided in order to deliver any material or portions of the plant lifted by the divider into close proximity to the picking spindles, whereby any cotton contained in the material will be engaged by the picking spindles. The rods are positioned at their rear end, as shown in Figure 2, somewhat above the lowermost row of picking spindles whereby, during any position of tilting or tipping of the dividers, the rear ends of the rods will still deliver the material sliding therefrom into close proximity to the picking spindles. This is an important feature as there may be considerable loose cotton or loose branches on the plants which might otherwise be directed under the lowermost row of spindles and would not, therefore, be operated upon.

The device shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, is a modified form of a plant lifting and guiding device which may be used in the same construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 or may be used as well as the divider shown with the cotton picker for any purposewhere such a device may be found useful. a

The frame structure 37 or a machine to which the device may be attached forms a means of support for a supporting bracket 38. A bearing bracket 39, rigidly secured to the bracket 38, forms a support for a transverse pin 40. The pin 40 provides a pivotal support for a member -21. Said member in normal position has a main portion extending upwardly at a forward angle. At its upper end said member has an car as formed with a horizontal downwardly extending bore through which a pivot pin 43 extends. Said pin also extends through a bearing bracket 44, which is.

rigidly secured to a shield 45. Said shield has a substantially vertical portion and a curved over downwardly inclined horizontal portion. At its lower end the shield which extends closely adjacent the ground level, is secured to a bracket 46.

A pin 4'? formed on said bracket, extends through a bearing member 48 rigidly attached to the shoe 49 oi the device. Said shoe is formed with a pointed nose member and a rearwardly extending runnr member welded together to form an integral structure. The runner portion is bent up; wardly at the rear and is rigidly secured to a for- 'wardly and downwardly extending portion 50 o! the member 41. From this description it will be 

